It Doesn't Even Matter
by Phoenix Draconis
Summary: They've always hated each other. Or have they? Rated M for language and stuff


Alright, this is _one _of my Oliver/Marcus stories. Marcus and Oliver really hate each other but . . . does it mean that they really love each other?

This is labeled O/M cuz it all revolves around them but you'll get p.o.v. from a few other characters too.

And just so you know . . . I don't own these characters. But of course, you knew that already.

"I don't believe it." Oliver Wood groaned. He turned to look at the Weasley twins. "Did I just hallucinate or did Marcus Flint just walk into the room?"

"I heard he failed his N.E.W.T.s and has to repeat his seventh year again." Fred nodded.

"But he was bragging about _still_ being the Quidditch captain on the train like it's something to be proud of." George smirked.

Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell all rolled their eyes and then giggled.

"What?" Oliver frowned at them. "Don't tell me you think it's cute."

Angelina shook her head. She nodded at something and then giggled again. Oliver looked up to see Cedric Diggory walking by. Oliver looked at the twins who shrugged and shook their heads.

"Don't you girls even _care_ that Flint is back?" Oliver complained. "This is . . . bad. This is the year we'll _definitely_ win the Quidditch cup. We _have_ to. It's my . . ."

"_Last year!_" the twins chorused.

"Well it is." Oliver glared at them. "I want to see my name on the Cup before I leave. I want . . . _where is Harry?_"

"McGonagall sent him to the hospital wing." Katie said. "Something to do with the Dementors."

"Oh." Oliver nodded. "Okay, well let me show you this new play I came up with on the train."

On the other side of the hall, Marcus Flint sat silently glaring at everything and everyone.

_This is so fucking unfair!_ He thought angrily. _It-was-_one_-fucking-point!_

"Hey Flint." Draco Malfoy's cold voice broke through his thoughts. "Look at what Wood is doing. First night back and he's already got Quidditch practice all planned out. Bloody obsessed."

"That's great Malfoy." Marcus said absentmindedly.

"What's _your_ problem?" Draco frowned.

"Shut the fuck up Malfoy." Marcus snapped.

Draco glared at him but didn't say anything.

"What do they see in him?" Adrian Pucey's voice broke through Marcus's thoughts. "I mean . . . I don't get it."

Marcus looked up to see where Adrian was looking. He scoffed when he saw a group of giggling girls all standing around Cedric Diggory.

"What does it matter?" Marcus asked. "They're mostly Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws anyway. Where's your decency?"

"I can't look?" Adrian asked. "A couple of those Ravenclaws are hot."

Marcus shrugged. His gaze drifted over to the Gryffindor table where Wood was still gesturing wildly. Suddenly Wood's eyes met his own. Wood flipped him off and Marcus returned the sentiment. Wood turned to Johnson and Marcus turned his attention to a little fifth year girl who wiggled her way between Marcus and Adrian. Marcus flirted with her until the Sorting Ceremony began. After the first years had been Sorted dinner began, and after dinner Dumbledore made is annual boring speech to them all.

"Come on Oliver." Alicia beckoned to him after dinner. "The common room is this way."

"I'll be there in a bit." Oliver told his friends. "I need to be by myself for a little while. Okay?"

"Sure." They nodded and headed up the stairs.

A few minutes later Oliver sat in his favorite spot by the lake. He liked to come here and think because it was so quiet. He was just thinking about the day's events when he heard footsteps.

"By yourself again Wood? You don't want to start this hanging out by yourself thing the first night. People'll think you're crazy."

Oliver turned around.

"Oh, it's you." He said. "Hey."

"Who else would it be but me?"

"I don't know." Oliver shrugged. "It might have been anyone."

"I don't know who else would have known that you like to come to this _very_ specific spot and be alone. Or who else would have thought to come find you."

"Thanks." Oliver replied. "What time is it?"

"Nearly midnight."

"Oh." Oliver looked down at his watch. "Wow. I didn't know I had been down here _that_ long."

"That's why I'm here, because you were. Why so early in the year?"

"Just thinking." Oliver answered.

"About what?"

"Things." Oliver shrugged.

"Like . . . why Flint came back again?"

Oliver nodded.

"He failed. Simple as that."

"Really?" Oliver looked over.

"Mm-hmm. But I heard it was only by one point. _One point!_ How unfair is that?"

"Pretty unfair I guess." Oliver frowned. "They really made him repeat his seventh year for only one point."

"That's what I said. And don't worry about Quidditch. This year you can't lose. Your name will definitely be on the Cup this year. There's no competition. Ravenclaw got a new captain. Hufflepuff got a new captain. They've both had to rebuild. And Slytherin just sucks."

Oliver chuckled. Silence filled the air until Oliver sighed happily.

"Let me guess. _Now_ you're thinking about a certain dark haired, gray eyed person."

"Yeah." Oliver agreed.

"And does this person know how you feel about them yet?"

"I don't think so." Oliver said.

"But is the person . . ."

"I don't know." Oliver interrupted. "I don't want to talk about it."

"_Okay._"

"I'm sorry." Oliver said after a few minutes. "Classes haven't even started and I'm already stressed."

"You need sleep."

"Sleep would be good." Oliver grinned.

"Oh shit."

Oliver looked down at the ground and saw a scruffy cat sitting at their feet.

"Let's go." He said. "Before Filch catches us."

Oliver quickly stood up and they left.

"Damn!" George complained. He looked over at Fred who was holding his schedule too.

"Why are you looking at my schedule?" Fred asked. "It's the same as yours."

"I was hoping that I was seeing things." George replied. He reached over and grabbed Oliver's schedule. "Let's see what Mr. Wood is taking."

"Hey!" Oliver scowled.

George read over the schedule and scoffed.

"You overachiever." He sneered. "You're just like Percy. Look Fred. All N.EW.T. levels."

"It hasn't changed from last year." Oliver grabbed his schedule back. "And I'm not an overachiever."

"You're an overachiever." The twins said in unison.

Oliver scowled.

"Have you finished breakfast yet?" Fred asked.

"Why?" Oliver frowned.

"Because you need to hurry or you'll be late for class." George said.

Scowling, Oliver dropped his fork with a loud clang and stood up. He grabbed his bag and stalked out of the Great Hall.

"Hello Mr. Flint." Professor McGonagall greeted him at the door. "I hope you make more of an effort in my class this year. I don't believe you'd appreciate having to repeat your seventh year for a _third_ time."

"No professor." Marcus muttered.

"Good." McGonagall said. "Take a seat."

Marcus sat down at an empty desk. He seemed to be the only Slytherin in this class. He looked around at the other students. There were three Hufflepuffs, all of them girls. Four Ravenclaws, only one of them was a girl. Four Gryffindors including Wood and Percy Weasley. And him. Marcus was disappointed in the younger Slytherins.

"Welcome seventh years." Professor McGonagall stood in front of the class. "This may be your final year but this will also be the hardest as you are all preparing to take your N.E.W.T.s."

Marcus let Prof. McGonagall's voice fade out. He faded back in as McGonagall began to explain their first assignment of the year. An essay that was . . . a collaborative effort?

"Now," McGonagall picked up a sheet of parchment. "I have already assigned your partners. You will be working with this person until next month at which time, depending on your progress, you will continue to work with your partner or I allow you to begin working on your own. After I call your names please sit with your partner. You are to sit with your partner from now on."

Marcus scowled and put his head on his desk. He quit listening again as his classmates began moving around. He didn't hear his name being called or who his partner was.

"Mr. Flint!" McGonagall rapped on his head with her wand. "Mr. Flint! Pay attention!"

Marcus looked up confusedly.

"I have been repeatedly telling you that you are partnering Oliver Wood." She said sternly. "Don't start off wrong in my class Mr. Flint."

Marcus peeked around her to see Oliver glaring back at him. Marcus reluctantly gathered his books and bag and grudgingly sat with Oliver.

"How did _you_ manage to get into a N.E.W.T. level class?" Oliver scoffed.

"I'm not an idiot." Marcus snarled.

"Then how do you explain your return to Hogwarts?" Oliver sneered.

"I don't." Marcus replied. "And least not to you."

"Class dismissed!" McGonagall called.

Marcus grabbed his bag and quickly left. All the rest of his classes ended up like that. Though the only class he didn't get partnered with a Gryffindor in was Potions. Maybe tomorrow he wouldn't get stuck with more Gryffindor partners.

"How does it feel to be back?"

Marcus turned around and broke into his first real smile in the last few weeks.

"Quit teasing me." He said. "I hate it. But if I want to get the job that I really want, I need to pass."

"Want help?"

"I wouldn't mind it."

"You know, you might not be happy that you're back, but your Quidditch team is."

"I know." Marcus smirked. "They would have lost the Quidditch Cup this year if I hadn't come back."

"What makes you so sure that you'll even get it this year? I know the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs aren't any competition but Gryffindor on the other hand . . ."

"No competition either." Marcus said.

"Well . . . you actually have to admit that Wood _does_ have a pretty good team. Angelina, Alicia and Katie are excellent Chasers. The Weasley twins are awesome but very vicious Beaters. Harry is an even better Chaser then Charlie Weasley ever was. And Oliver, well, he's good enough that scouts have come to the games to watch him play."

Marcus scowled.

"Don't get mad. You know it's true."

Marcus grudgingly nodded.

"Want a back rub? You look really stressed."

"I am." Marcus agreed. "I have Quidditch practice on top of N.E.W.T. level classes plus all the homework _for_ those classes. And it's only the _first day_ of classes. I don't know if I'm going to make it. After all, I didn't make it last year and that's why I'm here _now._"

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Marcus said. "I shouldn't be complaining. Aren't you taking more classes then I am?"

"All except Divination, Muggle Studies and Care of Magical Creatures."

"Mm, that feels good." Marcus closed his eyes as his muscles began to relax. "How do you do it? I mean, handle all those classes?"

"Don't know. It all just comes naturally to me. I mean, I can read something once and I'll know everything I'm supposed to, I'll know just how things are supposed to work and then when I attempt them, everything comes out like they should."

"I wish I were you." He said.

"No you don't. If you were me you wouldn't have a thing for a certain somebody that we both know you like."

"How do you always know?" he asked.

"I'm just psychotic like that. I mean, psychic."

Marcus laughed. It felt good to laugh.

"Ugh. Sorry, I have to go."

"Okay." Marcus said. "Bye."

"Bye."

"Flint, we need to talk." Oliver's voice said.

Marcus turned around to face him.

"About what?" he asked.

"About how we're going to do this assignment that the both of us are supposed to be working on together." Oliver said.

"Well, how about if you do it and I'll sign my name to it when we turn it in." Marcus smirked.

"Fuck this!" Oliver snapped. "I'm going to McGonagall to see if I can work with someone else."

"Have it your way then." Marcus turned back around as Oliver stormed off.

Okay . . . that's the end of that chapter. I hope you liked it. And if you didn't I'm sorry. But I really hope you did. Please review. Thank you!


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